


therapy at the yamazaki senior center

by mariabumby



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Death from Old Age, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy Ending, M/M, Old Married Couple, Older Characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-23 13:48:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7465755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariabumby/pseuds/mariabumby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Physical Therapist! Sousuke who’s family business happens to be a cute retirement home with flowers and a garden patch. Rin injures his shoulder, and is assigned a therapist who happens to have had a twinning injury. People get fixed up and get to know one another. warning of seniors be dying(in the background, promise), fluffy as heck. also PT! seijou old geezer!kisumi</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. (whole)

**Author's Note:**

> (chara's inner thoughts)  
> wrote this for sourin summerfest :)

 

 

 

 

_( from Sousuke Yamazaki )_

  
There’s just something that pisses me off about the Couple.  
  
You see, I work in a retirement center and I’m telling you for most of the residents, it’s a pretty shitty life. All your friends are dying, wakes and hospital beds, your kids never visit, your body is progressively getting shitier and society as a whole is just very uncomfortable about the whole topic of Death. But the Couple, Joven and Susie.  
  
They used to _dance_.  
  
When their joints failed they listened to music. When their ears failed, they picked up _bad boardgames_ and laugh at each other’s faces. Look how funny our fingers are, they’d say,  carpal tunnel makes funny checkers. I hate to think that when the macula gets them they’d resign to just holding hands, and breathing garden air. I don’t think I’ll be able to handle that.  
  
The girl, we call her Mama Susie, loves white roses. I trim the white roses, for the life of this couple. I water the white roses, because there’s no version of this where they’re magically healed. I’ve seen it hundreds of times, people will die and get broken. But for these two, they’re lives are simply limited. Not broken. In fact they’re happier than me, and I can’t believe I’m dying of jealousy towards a couple of decaying raisin faces.  
  
( white roses just _had_ to mean silence and devotion. )

  
  
-

  
I just suffered a sports-career ending shoulder injury, and I miss swimming, I miss my dead parents, I’m keeping the family business together with underpaid staff, and living with all these seniors around me, while I’m in semi-perfect health makes me feel like an ingracious bastard. Is it cowardly that I want to check myself in here as a client? that after all the days work, I hole myself up in the backyard with heavy duty shears attacking vines and thinking of white roses, thinking of vegetable gardens, hacking away at things I want to forget. You know, secret garden - the book - wasn’t kidding. Nursing something to grow from damp earth would be and is healing for my wretched teenage soul and post surgery scar. So following that book’s premise, loving someone else selflessly should be miracle potion. Fountain of youth.  
  
Is that it Papa Joven and Mama Susie? Wasn’t that also your secret ingredient to home-made-pizza. Love, in extra doses. The Yamazaki Retirement Center has seen better days in my childhood, and I’m still sentimental about your cooking. And though I look like I’m a grown man, and my turn in taking care of you, can you make me that magic soup again? I promise I’ll grow roses.

 

 

* * *

  
  
  
My right shoulder is getting better from physical therapy (PT) but I can work the soil with just my left, and I’m harvesting lilies right now, to bring to Mika, stage- numerous complications and as usual I’ll insist that bright flowers on death beds are more important than the ones for mourning. I’m sympathetic towards the family, but I’m obviously biased towards the raisin faces, every single one of them a bullet through my heart, so the bouquets they know is all of my love in a handful, for them. Lily of the valley, Mika because you’re always so sweet.  
  
I’m kind of sad on valentines day seeing people handing out so many perfectly elaborate bouquets for different reasons. I’ve made _too many_ bouquets but never for those kinds of things, it’s either morbid or poetic and I kind of tear up cause I associate picking flowers now with someone I love dying. Maybe when I fall in love I’ll hand them carrots instead, or fruit coupons..

 

 

* * *

 

   
By the time of the wake, it doesn’t matter what power is behind the names sashed around flower wreaths, or how much wealth the kids bicker about afterwards. What stays is the lives you touched friendly, platonic, motherly, romantic or otherwise. and the most depressing wakes are the ones were only the Retirement Center attend - is everyone so dead, irrelevant, forgotten?  
  
I get so frustrated sometimes that I go on a rampage with the most passive aggressive phone invites for relatives to fucking come over. I’ve already got your script: I love you. thankyou. I’m sorry. I forgive you. I don’t flip a shit how much older you are, give me a date and a time of appointment and we’ll be done, I’ll stop calling. Good, not so hard right? Bring us food.

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
I knew everything was better when one day I hauled a whole sack of surplus potatoes to the PT unit of a general hospital across the road. They were the usual recipients of all the extra cooking and food stock we’ve been making, and Seijurou (PT staff) was just yelling at me because that sack was at least a fifty. Kilos. SOUSUKE YAMAZAKI- But that wasn’t on my- oh. I guess both my shoulders are now considered ‘good’ shoulders. What a relief.  
  
Seijurou warns me to not push it though. Senior center just got back their prodigal son, just got a garden attracting more money and visitors. Just got a Sousuke that’s finally functioning again, heart and shoulder included. So

  
What’s the secret ingredient?

 

 

 


	2. (unknown)

 

 

 

A couple years pass and I’m a certified Physical Therapist, working closely with the PT unit of a general hospital next door, their main clients being my seniors and my good old injured athletes. Classic arthritis to baseball pitchers. On rare days I get someone twinning my old injury and I get to show off the scars like a badge to scare them into quality swimming technique, and more dry land practice, careful consultations with respective professionals immediately, or spell S-U-R-GERY boy.  
  
And one day it happened to be this pale skinned guy with maroon hair from Australia, Rin Matsuoka.(indoor pool). Sounds like a girl but he’s already fighting with grandpa Sano over the ice bath, and seething under my lecture with impossible dagger red eyes. The injury is fresh, the frustration right off the fire. No need for tests, obviously your butterfly stroke-  
  
‘yeah I’ve video taped my butterfly stroke.’  
  
‘your records say you do extra laps without supervision. you must’ve been sloppy with noone watching’  
  
‘are you belittling me as an athlete?’ (oh god, I’m not)  
  
‘I’m your physician, who happens to twin your injury. We’re not in some competition.’  
  
‘Fine but if we were, I want to win. I don’t want to end up as a therapist like you. (Rin is reeling a bit from being offensive, biting lip) I’m sorry, but you know what I mean by that. (wow. ok, at least honest)  
  
‘I do.’  
  
(my reply sits simple and heavy in the air)  
  
We hold each other gazes, neither backing down from a fight. He’s the first one to rip away, shark teeth gritting. I hope my teal eyes said something close to: 'trust me’ or 'I’ll get you back into your fucking indoor pool' either way I’m writing him appointments to the right string of professionals. Then I get back to father Sano for his turn in the ice tub.  
  
(I really wish you the best of luck, Rin Matsuoka.)  
  
(I heard you’re hunting for something made of gold.)

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
  
We bump into each other in the weight room, and it’s like seeing a ghost, or deja vu, same shoulder brace, same frustratingly puny weights. We avoid eye contact, I’ve gossiped about his regimen though, and it seems his healing has a better pace since he actually confessed the injury early unlike me.  
  
I notice his red hair bobbing jogging around the local streets when I take grandma Pinky and her dogs for a walk, and I lean in and tell her that that guy’s swimming’s gonna be better than mine. Grandma Pinky , you see, is the type of grey soul that needs excuses to dress up and put on makeup, I wonder if this is what dates feel like, arm in arm, head preening cause her hand is digging harder than the dog leashes, or maybe it’s just Pinky-san’s bad knees.  
  
She makes this o with a mouth, saying 'but you swim so well Sousuke.’  
  
‘you flatter me Pinky-san.’  
  
‘you’re taller; but he’s pretty.”  
  
‘I don’t get how pretty can make you swim faster.’  
  
‘It’s not always the swimming, Sou-chan’  
  
She has this shrill breathy laugh. I enjoy the conversations, still don’t get it Pinky-san. You see, she keeps wearing red and white all the time but she’s named pink - like it’s the punchline. I decide when the time comes, I’ll surely pick red and white flowers, no pink just for kicks. Red poppy (hinageshi) for fun loving, and white keshi (shiro) ones for happiness. I love her, and I’d like to think that pre-planning the shape of my love in deathbed bouquets wasn’t a morbid hobby of mine. I continue padding forward and pull on the dogs. Pinky-san.  
  
‘Please don’t call me _Sou-chan_.’

 

 

* * *

   
  
  
Rin decides this is a proper greeting, as he slumps open a door:  
  
‘you again.’  
  
‘how’s the shoulder? frustrating as hell? sleeping is unbearable right?’  
  
(I raise a fist to bump)  
  
tch.  
  
His face ties up in knots, but his eyes betray him.  
  
(oh god, I am so right. I _understand_ how you’re feeling so well it’s almost funny. I retract the hand.)  
  
‘Don’t worry got a treat for you, this felt like heaven swear.’ (I pat on a the massage bed)  
  
‘I didn’t know you’re the acupuncturist.’  
  
‘The best one, but we’re tying this up with some other therapies, so I’ll be making you pass out like a bear in winter‘ (I’m tapping needles now)  
  
‘what’  
  
‘trust me, already coordinated with your other physicians - you didn’t know we were checking you in for the night? (more serious now) did you eat everything that was scheduled?’  
  
‘uh the squash in the cafeteria you mean’  
  
‘yeah the squash in the cafeteria’  
  
‘yeah’ (quietly)  
  
‘it’s from our garden we’re proud of it, and your room is nice with a view and I heard your sister is picking you up tomorrow so you obviously knew about this already. Everything’s going to be fine, and tell me was the squash with the coconut milk -any good?’  
  
‘is this relevant to the procedure?’  
  
Sousuke has on a grave face: ‘absolutely crucial’  
  
(small teasing grin)  
  
‘it was so-so’  
  
( _oh_. not pouting, suits you)  
  
‘okay, now you’re ready’

 

 

 

* * *

_( from a narrator, yours truly )_

  
  
  
  
  
Sousuke hits a few memorized pressure points, cradles Rin’s head on a pillow, arranges the stray hairs before working with the needles. For the whole procedure, Rin’s face is a picture of calm with just the slightest snark on his lips.  
  
Sousuke, Seijurou, fellow PT notes, seems to be enjoying himself. ‘I feel like I’m healing the karma of my past injuries, so sue me Seijjurou. Sousuke is kneading Rin’s temple, fingers resting on the hairline.’  
  
‘you can just call him cute, I won’t judge.’  
  
‘he’s not (“quote”) cute. ‘  
  
‘really now, cause cute -  (pointing at Rin’s face)   makes _me_ wanna go lapping in the local pool, and I don’t even really like swimming. at all’  
  
‘what the heck Seijurou.’  
  
‘what this guys comes from Australia and you suddenly stop swimming, you’re so obvious’  
  
Sousuke misses a pressure point.  
  
Sousuke dismisses Seijurou smirk with his own face.  
  
‘that’s absolutely unrelated, I had errands.’  
  
‘jeez Sou, I know, I’m kidding ..’  
  
  
 

* * *

  
  
  
  
When Rin wakes up, and it feels like days later, it’s Seijurou that’s doing his exit interview.  


 

‘So how do you feel? rejuvenating hmm?’

(Rin feels like he’s made of pillows and hotel comforters)

     his brain is still spacing out like a dream,,

‘it’s like    this is the first   time I’ve ever had  real sleep in my     life,

 (breaths out)

 my muscles feel   like   air  (or feathers). ‘

  
  
(even Rin’s voice has gone soft like that was massaged to butter too.)  
  
Seijurou flashes a proud grin: ‘yup, our Sousuke’s a piece of work - you do the grounding exercises okay? Can’t have you floaty headed for days.’  
  
(flip flip) Seijurou stares at the physician notes, reads it out.  
  
‘Sousuke also insists you do foam rolling, -you already know that right?- and lymphatic drainage massages. It’s a little overkill, but he insists you do it.  (Seijurou scratches his head) I’ll get someone to walk you through it, try to focus and pick it up okay? you’ll be back to earth soon enough.’  
  
Rin manages to give a nod, his fingers feel foreign, it’s like feeling water through his own scalp.  
  
  
_(   what did that yamazaki guy just do??   )_  
  
  
‘wish Sousuke saw you though, you’re face is precious, we PT people get a kick from that’ Seijurou’s muttering under breath. umm.  
  
'keep drinking the bone broth for a week and we’ll see you again after that, so take care of yourself’  
  
‘hey, want mine?' it was an old man with thick framed glasses, hunched beside Seijurou and was now nudging him with a mason jar of bone soup like it was a pack of illegal drugs  
  
‘can’t stand the smell’  
  
Rin blinks at it.  
  
‘why are we doing this in the cafeteria again?’  
  
‘you woke up during my lunch break’  
  
Seijurou wolfs down on his forgotten bowl of rice. The old man (Sasaki-san) is still nudging him the jar, the cafeteria keeps moving around him anyway.  
  
‘that’s technically overtime and you should be grateful’ Sasaki is shoving the bone broth to Rin’s side like it’s an order, Rin is eying the slop. Sasaki drums on the dining table.  
  
‘you know you might _play_ as an individual athlete, like I do golf’ and Sasaki’s swinging around with his pudgy arms miming the peak of health, puffing authority.  
  
‘but in reality it’s a team effort, so you can’t be selfish and be a pain in the ass to all the physicians and (cough) ugh coaches helping you.’ he gulps down some water, clears throat.  
  
‘ _dick_ move okay.’  
  
Seijurou chokes a little on his lunch, giggly. Rin is nodding like he’s listening to a war vet or someone who had an idea how the hell his body was reborn. His shoulders feel like wings.  
  
‘you know even that mean yamazaki, or the ugly guy in reception - we’re on your side. so it's the winning team. start acting like it.’  
  
Old man Sasaki now crosses his arms, satisfied with himself.  
  
Seijurou mutters ‘good speech’.  
  
Rin blinks and decides to drink the bone broth.

 

 

* * *

 

(yeah. I should probably, make that apology..)

 

* * *

  
  
  
  
A week later, Rin finds himself in the Yamazaki Senior Center just across the general hospital, watching this middle aged lady framed in a half-oval of a front desk, cradling a phone in her right shoulder, one hand blocking the receiver, then tilting her neck to shout over the other shoulder to  
  
‘SOOOOUSUKE-KUN, GUESST’  
  
‘mbUSY,chi-CHAN’  
  
‘YOU’D WANNA GET THIS SOU’  
  
‘APPOINTMENT?’’  
  
‘NAH, JUST’,  
  
The Chi-chan person turns to Rin and mouths a ‘sorry’ before going back to the business on the telephone.  
  
Rin can hear footsteps by the back, but is still surprised when Sousuke comes out in a tailored suit, squeezing a bouquet in his elbow, and holding a gel pen and a sheaf of papers in his hands. Sousuke is calmly speaking, but talking fast.  
  
‘Chi-chan, the scan they sent doesn’t have the backside of the ID, the lawyer needs that, can you print me another copy of the will’  
  
‘I’m getting to it’  
‘..’  
  
‘oh the twin’, Sousuke acknowledges Rin.  
  
‘Yamazaki-san’ Rin decides to start. Also that Sousuke’s hair is new, pushed back, and his jaw looks different. Clean shaven? different definitely different. oddly nerve wracking.  
  
 Sousuke’s eyes is flicker to Rin register the even shoulders, the no-longer-pissed-about-an injury, Sousuke’s eyes glue back on Chi-chan’s computer.  
  
‘nice to see you all better’  
  
‘uh, yeah-‘  
  
‘I’m having a day off, don’t tell me Seijurou’s dragging me into his shift’ Sousuke is scowling at the screen. Rin is finding it convenient that Sousuke’s not looking at him.  
  
‘No, I just wanted to thank you, for your care.  I was very rude in the beginning, I apologize’. Though Sousuke’s still not looking, Rin does a small bow and offer’s a shoe sized takeout box…  
  
‘yeah, the was just .. the  .injury talking .. no harm ’ Sousuke registers the bowing and embarrassingly snaps out of the desk to face Rin.  
  
‘oi oi stop that’ Sousuke grabs the orange takeout box.  
  
‘you really didn’t have to,  it’s my job,  but I appreciate the gesture.’ Sousuke flashes a polite smile.  
  
Then does a double take on the box label, ‘hey’    
  
‘I love this crab joint’ Sousuke almost saying it for himself.    ‘how-‘  
  
‘Sasaki-san said-‘  
  
‘Matsuoka.’  
  
‘you didn’t have to.  Seriously.’(Sousuke’s hands come up to his temple. headache?)  
  
'besides all food gifts here are served to the whole center. not that _I’m avoiding_ you or anything, I’m saving myself some crab it's just that-’  
  
Sousuke unconsciously twists the paper of a red with white flower bouquet. Red poppy (hinageshi) and white keshi ones.  
  
‘I’ve got errands okay, get another post check-up with me some other time if you’re desperate’  
  
‘I wouldn’t want to bother you’ (really)  
  
‘tell you what. heard you bonded with Sano-san over consecutive ice baths,’ Sousuke nudges Rin towards the dining area.  
  
’it’s lunch time and you should go chat him up’ Sousuke is gesturing Chi-chan to save some crab, and to hand him the printouts, log-in Matsuoka-  
  
‘he’ll love seeing you better and I’ve got a shelf on swimming techniques- you won’t miss it, enjoy your visit to the Yamazaki Senior Center’ Sousuke claps Rin’s good shoulder.  
  
’see ya’  
  
Sousuke disappears into the exit.

 

 

* * *

  
  
  
(Rin finds the dining area, weirdly familiar faces and finds Sano-san immediately. He wants to bring up the flowers in the gardens outside, how there were shrubs that were just like the cuttings in Sousuke’s bouquet and it added more whimsy or character to the poppy combination in general, and it’s really creative, but maybe he could bring that up some other time.  
  
The seniors were busy talking all over his replies, because (visitors), and he really needs to mention and somehow declare that these crabs as amazing (?) how did he miss these, and are you sure there was a barbecue joint beside that what, yeah I’m Rin, nice to meet you too, Kisumi-san, nothing, just your name in english, did you know it was.. )

 

 

* * *

  
  
  
Sousuke makes it a point to visit the local pool the week after next to slough off the stress. The center has been heavy lately and he already forgot he was trying to make a point with Seijurou, didn’t really register who the strong pulse of waves was beside his lane.  
  
So it catches him off guard, when he taps the other end of the pool and glances to the same maroon eyed australian he was not avoiding but sort-of-delaying to kind of.. Rin’s nodding up to an indistinct coach by the dry side.  
  
  
‘oh, hey’ Rin raises a fist.  
  
‘hey’ Sousuke taps it, surprised.  Rin eyes graze Sousuke’s exposed scar.  
  
‘I’ll be getting back to this’ Rin points at the water.  
  
‘yeah’  
  
Rin bursts from the sidewall and swims his backlap.  
  
-  
  
butterfly stroke. It’s near perfect, Sousuke thinks.  
  
(thank god.)  
  
  
  
Sousuke follows in a slower, but very sturdy pace.  
  
butterfly stroke.  
  
  
  
-  
  
He emerges on the other side to Seijurous face:  
  
‘he doing that prep you do, when he dives’  
  
‘what’  
  
‘look’ Sousuke does just that, and it’s entrancing to see someone perform their art, fly through air then cut into water. Well, Rin did do that leaned weight trick on his prep block.  
  
‘maybe his coach knows it, or he saw it in my shelf’  
  
‘he’s been to your shelf?’  
  
‘he visited the center’  
  
‘damn. can’t believe it, he’s still shaving seconds from his time’  
  
Sousuke has his left hand over his right shoulder warming up, rotating it carefully, so it wouldn’t creak later on.  
  
‘huh. So you didn’t think we fixed Matsuoka’s injury to near perfection.’ Sousuke’s brows were teasing.  
  
‘well, if you put it that way, that’s my perfect stretch routine killing it in the water!’ Seijurou’s grinning. They’ll always be nervous watching old patients but ‘This is rewarding, hey he’s lapping back already’  
  
Rin removes his goggles, to get out trapped water, but is shooting his face at Sousuke, Sousuke’s shoulder in particular.  
  
(he catches his breath a little) Feet planted on the shallower side of the pool.  
  
‘y- you only quit swimming recently - am I right?’  
  
‘yeah(?)’  
  
(huf-) ’how long?’  
  
’two years’ Sousuke grimaces. 'is the scar _that_ bad?’ he adds ‘don’t think about this dumb wing, but don’t be reckless with yours either’ and Sousuke thinks he’s about to dole out prescriptions outside of work hours  
  
‘YOu’re stroke’s almost at a _national_ level’ Rin spits out. incredulous. but  
(fact)  
  
‘damn right it was’ Seijurou pipes in.  
  
‘top 10’ Seijurou kicks water to Sousuke’s face, Rin’s eyes are wide.  
  
‘but you can fix it right?, you guys are great’ (two years doesn’t—-)  
  
‘if I could fix it, I would’ve. Do I look stupid. (blinks—) But then I wouldn’t have been your therapist right. and your shoulder would still be fucked up.’ Sousuke clenches his jaw, that was uncalled for.  
  
Sousuke’s staring down to the water.  
  
‘I’ll be getting back to this’ Sousuke points to the water, before pre-empting the start of his lap. His shoulder thankfully, eases into the steady pace.  
  
Rin fits his googles back on his head with an excessive snap. The strap stings.  
(Okay , I probably deserve that.)  
  
   -  
-  
(quiet laps)  
   -  
-  
  -  
-

  
‘hey Seijurou-san, I bet he was one hell of a swimmer’              
  
‘you bet’  
  
‘what I’d give to see that’ (swim with that, I didn’t mean to be so —-)  
  
‘yeah, he’s sure got the physiognomy for it long arms and stuff’  
(Seijurous waving around easing the tension) umm  
  
He’s real fit too. what-a-waste. But I drag him into football sometimes, he’s fine’  
(don’t feel too sorry)  
  
‘no but his dive and stroke notes.  _genius_ ,  
    (obsessive)  
  
      ( _absolutely perfect_ )  
    saw some in his book I mean.’ Rin trails off.  
  
  
'it must have been living hell for him to quit swimming’  
  
-  
  
Rin thinks that that Sousuke Yamazaki was on his team. The lame PT with the crushed dreams, is the fucking martyr that saved Rin’s shoulder and Rin’s been. Rin is gritting his teeth, raising himself on the ledge, jangling his legs around and testing his shoulders.  
  
(the least, I could be doing is actually _winning_.)

 

 

* * *

  
  
  
  
Rin thinks he’s a grown twenty year old man, who’s lived abroad and dead set on beating the whole seven continents for olympic gold and that he shouldn’t be sacred of walking up to Sousuke ,the guy was _just_ his therapist.( There is no way I’m redeeming myself to that man, no way in hell. I will forever hide in dark locker rooms with my crass shame)  
  
But out of the pastel nurse outfit and the hospital courtesy, Sousuke was cut and his physicality was more balanced and agile than olympic swimmer pattern overload. The way he moved had a raw animality to it, all six feet, semi scowl, gruff voice, slight tan, black hair. The giant of a Seijurou talking to Sousuke wasn’t helping either. Rin simultaneously wanted to fight him and swim the fuck away, damn. Not just a therapist then.  
  
If Rin swam better two years ago, he would have seen that stroke, but that didn’t happen and he doesn’t know how to open the topic, about the shelf in the center, that he’s thankful for that, to compliment Sousuke’s swimming properly, cause it’s still _real_ good, and why is that my olympic jacket, is obnoxiously red and

  
  
‘oi, Matsuoka’  
  
‘ah - - Yamazaki-san. hey’ Rin is steeling himself to stand straight, knuckles white at startled grabbing at a locker door. breathe Matsuoka, breathe  
  
‘sorry with what I said earlier, I knew you meant well.’ Sousuke starts. Rin tries to look at him, find something safe, zeroes in on the eyes,  
    his eyes seem safe and nice.what  
  
‘I was still really rude, sorry. There was no way that it-’  
  
‘it’s not that.’ Sousuke cuts,  
  
‘I get defensive if it’s about. I’m really satisfied with being a therapist okay,  it’s not some   _“fallback”_.’  (Sousuke’s grave)  
  
'I’m _ridiculously_ happy with the Senior Center. and though the shoulder’s dream crushing, understand that I’m not broken at all and that I could _sincerely_ wish my old dreams for someone else.’  
  
Sousuke’s nodding at the square of japan flag on Rin’s breast pocket and smiles really graciously nice. Rin is overwhelmed,  
  
’I'm _un-ironically_ grateful _my dream_ is still out there for someone else.’  
  
‘no hard feelings’ he says with finality offering his hand (Sousuke’s relieved he managed to get that out.)  
  
‘i i-undestand’  
  
‘great’  
  
Rin claps his own at it. And they both bump into each other’s good shoulders.  
  
  
  
‘I’m sending you crab for three days’ Rin blinks.  
  
‘oh okay, I want to decline but my stomach is really fighting me.’ Sousuke’s mouth falls back into a grimace.  
  
‘good, also the crab is- good’ Rin is trying to find the heart to pick up on his side of the conversation , unnecessarily elaborating on the merits of the freshly harvested crustacean.  
  
’yeah crab’s good..I know?’  
  
Rin’s unbelieving, I mean. just. but he takes his word for it, swallows that truth, Sousuke’s wing is not getting better-and that can be perfect version of the events and it’s gonna be fine- cause he’s fine with it so I should be perfectly fine with it and he’s even wishing me luck and how does he exist -  
  
‘I want to pay you back for letting me look at that book’  
  
‘the swim techniques?’  
  
‘Kisumi-san is claiming this barbeque down the road is pretty good, I can’t tell if the geezer is lying, or if i can just pay wit’  
  
‘we can find out’  
  
(oh right, swimmer’s appetite)  
  
Rin is fiddling with his jacket zipper the whole way. Seijurou comes with.

 

 

* * *

 

 

(Maybe they misplaced us from the start, because I swear I feel like I’ve known you since gradeschool. Everything feels like it’s clicking into place.)

 

 

 


	3. (mutual)

 

 

(We have a kind of friendship that happened all at once.)  
  
  
  
Rin is the guy you can’t really figure out, in the Yamazaki Senior Center. He’s not-technically-staff (no way those jeans are uniform, not that I’m complaining) semi-reliable volunteer, but pops in for some reason or another to consistently sweep left over breakfast food. And be talked over his own replies. He doesn’t need to log-in as a ‘visitor’, but one time he wrote: ‘the cute new _favorite’_  
  
Rin accompanies Sano-san for his weekly PT routine since it means testing out the ice bath with the electric current. It sounds and looks like it’s out of frankenstein but it’s really effective, maybe you guys should paint it.  
  
He debates it with Sousuke, tries to settle in a janken but loses.  
  
Each visit, Sousuke squeezes in a conversation, between patient appointments, ’how’s the shoulder? yeah that chapter really was vague, trying thinking about it like this. Talk to your coach about it though, don’t be reckless.’  
  
‘hey be honest, what do you think of my form last weekend? and you’re a bummer for not joining me and Seij for katsu. (hey Kisumi! Rin yells over to the other room -the Son is a killjoy! )’  
  
‘You literally. saw me working on patients on the other side of the pool.’ Sousuke is filling out papers out of spite. ‘and you’ve got playback video right? how about you watch that’  
  
Rin is tapping his arms on the metal tub  
'I value (slap) your (slap) opinion! (slap)’  
  
'well I don’t have one (you’re perfect) Rin.’  
  
  
  


* * *

 

_( from Sousuke Yamazaki, for a moment )_

  
  
  
Rin’s always bribing the therapy unit with some cheap protein-based treat, and I hate how I don’t remember when he started doing that. He walks in, knows everyone, conversations pick up, and everyone’s on Rin’s side: ‘oi Sousuke, Rin’s our champ here, and he needs all the help he can get, we’re doing videoke night. No the idea is all ours. But does he need to like pen an appointment with you brat?.’  
  
Rin’s always laughing it off before Sousuke just scolds them back to stretching. This isn’t _kinder_ play time, I didn’t know this was the paedia section, I'm withholding half of that squid.  
  
But I don’t really, because the squid tastes terrible. _But it’s the thought that counts_ , and really, Rin’s picking up the whole center’s concept of Love Language. He gets that the senior’s don’t really understand the movies, and aren’t that interested in the bazaars. They know they’re talking in circles, but they’re giving you half the popcorn anyway, (and their entire hearts.) Thanks for making time for that Rin. I know what you mean, when you say you needed to do it, they’re easy to love. I can’t thank you enough.  
  
(And shame, I don’t remember when cheering up this raisin faces suddenly got so easy, Rin, how hard am I falling right now?)  
  
  


 

* * *

 

_( from the narrator, again, yours truly)_

  
  
  
  
  
‘okay okay, I’ll do your dry-land training run with you. can’t let you win the race though. No sano-san we’re the only ones making the bets here I don’t like taking your money. ‘  
  
‘by the way Rin, the sushi you brought today is from an expensive store.’  
  
‘English _teacher_ now, not just tutor? Congrats sensei but I’m concerned for the students.’  
  
(doesn’t cut in your practice too much, are you sure?)  
  
‘you’re not good at kindergarten.‘  
  
‘no way are you good at kindergarten.’  
  
‘I knew it. PTA sushi, no way you could afford that, no shame in double gives, they’re double special.’  
  
  
  
  
    ‘Hey Sou, I want to buy that sushi for real with my next paycheck.’  
  
‘three platters for the whole Center is excessive Rin.’  
  
    ‘just the two of us then.’  
  
  


 

* * *

  
  
  
  
Sousuke misses it most of the time but Rin’s slipping Sousuke seed packets in his bag like he was some grandma. Apparently it’s extra from school but it’s like he was saying (there, for my favorite.)  
  
Sousuke likes that he doesn’t get flowers. or chocolates. not that he should, or thinks that he should, or it’s some equivalent or something or what.  
  
It’s just that the flower seeds feel like the start of things, rather than when he’s harvesting flowers for a particular end. Sometimes it’s a wild plant cutting from off the road, or fruit seeds from what he ate, sometimes the pack has comments.  
  
Green ink, thick strokes “BETTER THAN UR SO-SO SQUASH. MIGHT DRY OUT, PLANT SOON’. and Sousuke is knotting his brows again, but has on some confused smile  
‘picky eh?’ The garden in the backyard is blooming, seems to be experiencing a wild kind of Spring.  
  
    but, well.  
      
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
(Sousuke, what’s with the carrots.)  
  
(Am I a _horse_ now?)  
  
  


 

* * *

  
  
  
  
  
Old mama sandy’s already declared it, white bun, chunky chest waving a cane.  
  
‘Rin, you’ve got our blessing. you do it today’  
  
Rin’s keeps checking the front door for a guy who will not come back for maybe 4 more hours.  
 ‘just ask the sou-chan out’  
  
Rin is rocking in his chair in the center, like ‘today Today? you guys bored??  
yeah yeah, I know he’s not scary. oba-san, ofourse, yes. I know.ugh. is gay, jesus.kisumi-san yes I absorbed that part, I know what it means. yes.’  
  
    ‘not-scary what’s worse he’s fuckign handsome.mm hhmm. shutp’  
Rin’s face is flushed red all the teasing, his cheeks are hurting, and he can’t feel his feet.  
  
‘unbelievable!  voiceof an angel. (i should bring sake again next week, just to make sure last night wasn’t a party trick? like Sousuke how hard am I falling right now? how sober is the ground-)  
  
Kisumi’s announcing: ‘hey SOu-chan **ER EMERGENCY**  
    Rin’s sick with Heartstruck, come be his _therapy kissy kissy_.’  
  
    ‘-I’m with a bunch of TEENAGERS, teenagers I tell you why in wha (oh god they’re singing 50s love songs)  
  
  
Oh here the Couple. MM ’Mama Susie, papa Joven you guys are decent,’ they stare back at Rin 'yeah okay you can’t hear me,but I feel like you can help me?’  
  
Rin’s shaking from laughter holding their bony hands tightly together, in his own praying hands.  
  
    the faces glance serenely back, but with tiny lights in their eyes. maybe, recognition.  
  
    but, well.  
  


 

* * *

  
  
  
  
When Rin is interviewed about his feelings on failure or his success, or the off-chance of an injury resurfacing,he leans into the mic with a sort of reverence, like prayer  
  
'I couldn’t do it without the support of my loved ones, my family, my team. hah - I’m super thankful’ and he smiles, camera flash  
  
The words never feel fake or empty, and Rin manages this dagger-like game face with welling eyes, sharp teeth . camera flash.  
  
He says the truth like he feels it in his body rolls it in his mouth, again, for himself "I’m strong because I swim - for the team.” flash  
  
I have nothing to fear.  
  
flash  
  
flash  
  
  
    "-starting positions!  
  
    GO!  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
'Sousuke, I like you’  
  
The night air is cold and nippy, and Rin’s walking Sousuke home to the Center, after they just had dinner, just the two of them. and crabs. not that that’s special, they usually do that on payday and take turns on footing the bill because the seafood joint has the huts jutting out into the ocean and the seabreeze is nice and a band would be playing, and the stars are dancing in the waves, and light winking from the other islands in the distance and Rin and Sousuke always always have a great time. Rin insisted they eat there tonight, Rin insisted on paying for tonight (though it’s not your turn) because  
  
'yeah I know’ Sousuke quips.  
  
'no, not in that way.’  
  
‘Rin I know you,’ (fact.)  
  
‘oh ok so explain _how_ I like you’  
  
‘like me in the way aunties have their favorite niece’  
  
‘hmm.’ Rin is squinting at Sousuke  
  
‘kidding, you’re my bestfriend too.’ Sousuke slaps a hand on Rin’s back and kneads an arm to his shoulder, wrestling  
  
‘eheh, oh wow sou, I’m HOnored’ Rin is kicking back at Sousuke’s thighs. hey. hah! oi oi. they’re both laughing. bestfriend, yeah _you’re my bestfriend too_. breathless.  
  
Sousuke settles his arms around Rin’s shoulder. It’s painfully, deliciously normal and Rin shoves his fists back in his jacket, squeezes it into a fist twice.  
  
‘I mean it in another way too though’ as they settle.  
  
‘yeah, how so?’ yeah Rin, how.  
  
They’re both walking arm in arm and it’s not too far if you think about it, so Rin’s hand pulls down on Sousuke’s cheek and he chastely plants a kiss on the other’s lips.  
  
Sousuke stops in his tracks.  
  
‘like _that_?’ Sousuke whispers, a bit dumb.  
  
‘mm’ Rin hums as he plants another one for keeps , stretching his feet to his toes and tilt’s Sousuke’s head deeper into another. kiss. Rin walks himself through it, breathing him in releasing the tension in the tongue, mind wrapping in it’s pliant sensation. kinetic electric honeycomb. It takes a moment for Sousuke to react, but he gets there, spine bending like a branch into Rin, reaching (first) a kiss on Rin’s ‘bad’ shoulder, then teal eyes tipping like water Rin can swim in. Sousuke’s arm wraps tightly; hands on the waist, fingers on the small of neck, eyes of the blissed out smile, eyes of the fluttering close slow caress, tasting carefully sweetly ripened supple  
  
 fruit.    
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
Sousuke’s dreams aren’t in fame or riches. It’s to heal his poor soul by loving someone unselfishly, properly like those Joven and Susie that he’s been bitter about, but knows like an arcane truth. like Creation story.  
  
And he really fixed himself up when he adopted 34 residents in the Yamazaki Senior Center into his heart, allowed himself to love and be loved even if they’ll wither like picked bouquets. It’s alright, they grow beautifully in your mind, forever anyway.  
  
Sousuke never thought he’d be so  un-ironically blessed. Sousuke never thought the gaps his dead parents, his broken shoulder, his oddly depressing family inheritance of a job could be full and overflown. He looks into old papa Joven’s eyes and knows and understands the glint in that eye.  
  
He confesses to Rin it’s just a dumb dream, -but Rin, the miracle is that you walk on earth, and I feel and heal this way my heart (bursts). you’re my dream, Rin, you’re my dream, love (Love be that best medicine).  
  
Rin kisses the dumb mouth shut, then their twin shoulders , wings, for keeps.  
  
  


 

* * *

  
  
  
  
Rin Matsuoka! Rah!! Waah! Wins the gold -  it’s shaped like a heart,  in another man’s soul.  
  
  


 

* * *

  
  
  
  
  
And it’s frustrating that papa Joven’s the one with the most peaceful smile. That Rin was right, ofcourse he is, and mama Susie would want all of us sobs to keep living on and be happy. Papa Joven still enjoys watching boxing matches squinting at the TV and walking out into the garden looking up at the clouds.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
When they lose, Rin’s hand is a vice and won’t ever let go., the research behind the flushes of oxytocin, dopamine, how it taps to the limbic primal brain, of being held and hugs swaddled wrapped, cooed into being alright. Sousuke’s has primary sources on that. Rin’s hugs are tight, but relieving, and he's muttering about the hypocrisy of you physicians, that you should take care of yourself, and you people in the caregiving industry give way too much, leave nothing for yourselves, get sleep please. Rin kisses the shoulder again, rubs his temples into it. Just one can of fizzy coke, okay? I love you. I need to go now,(practice) call me when you leave. here.  
  
They have this untold promise that when dealt with losses they can only stew themselves in it for a period of one to three days. Scream, curse at and cry oceans. After that, it’s selfish and the Center needs you to live on, move on, be brave. Sousuke squeezes back on the hand momentarily, before nodding.  
  
    (It’s taking a toll on me, I stay, I don’t want to stay)  
    (I’m afraid I need to make that white rose bouquet. )  
  
  


* * *

* * *

  
  
  
Sousuke’s feels all his muscles is tingling, like he should’ve missed something, that this shouldn’t be happening. Yamazaki Senior Center just published as a cute news story, spontaneous donations are coming in, war vet Sasaki-san looks annoyingly _chirpy_.  
  
‘Rin this is your best, most stressful and dumbest idea yet.’ You see, incorporating the senior home with the nearby daycare since the logic is:  
  
’THESE raisins are big babies anyway’ Rin announces cheeky, Sano-san is swatting Rin's pinchy fingers because baby faces. Chi-san is laughing her middle aged ass.  
  
'don’t call me a RAi-SIN, Matsuokah!’  
  
‘you think we’re infants sousuke?,’ Sasaki-san challenges 'we can _handle_ toddlers. told you six months, zero accidents, free cash. Rin’s right. Us oldies are infected by these bumbling balls of energy.’  
        bumbling balls, _yup_.  
    (no momotarou, put that beetle back outside. outside momo.) Sousuke gets said kid from Sasaki-san and prods him through the corridor out the garden door. Catches papa Joven’s hand who was just out and is now making his way inside.  
  
Sousuke's not really avoiding the conversation but Rin yells anyway, right through the hall:  
  
'Is it really SO WEIRD for _kids to get raised by COOL_ grandparents?’  
  
 Ofcourse everyone is agreeing. yeah! grandparents! we’re cool!  
  
‘Right’ old mama sandy shushes the toddlers as if to illustrate, wide dress billowing.  
the seniors are also toddlers, shushed.  
  
‘We’re not the plague Sousuke.’  
  
(Lecturing, going into the corridor looking for the son. points at Sousuke with a cane)  
  
‘Look at you, (she nods) you grew up just fine,’ Sousuke’s holding papa Joven at the end of the gleaming corridor.  
  
‘He grew up perfect.’ Rin said that too honest.  
  
Well Sousuke’s blushing.  
  
‘yeah well-‘. is he walking on some aisle? cause papa Joven’s walking him down a corridor with Rin at the end of it, holding an adorable sakura named girl throwing crepe paper with mama Sandy waving a cane like a minister - The seniors are laughing and clapping at Sousuke’s expense,  
  
‘KISS!! KISSssss’ seniors shout like drunk idiots. Rin why are you so damn good at this.

  
_hey mama susie._  
let’s make an exception this one time:  
  
  
  
 a bouquet for the bride.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heya, leave comments :) also feel free to write the domestic af AU that comes after this ahah


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